Washington State Sen Don Benton considers $150,000 “litter fee” for The Columbian

Washington State Sen Don Benton (R-Vancouver) is weighing a new “litter fee” that would apply only to The Columbian and cost the newspaper $150,000 a year. The Columbian reports the fee is one of several ideas floated by Benton’s environmental services department to pay for a costly settlement the county incurred for violations of the Clean Water Act. Other options include fee increases to homeowners and owners of private roads. The $150,000 annual fee would apply to “daily newspapers that are produced and distributed in Clark County with a circulation of more than 28,500. Only The Columbian meets those parameters,” the paper notes. Sen Benton claimed the newspaper is among the “top five” polluters, but the county’s public works director told the Columbian he wasn’t aware of newspapers being a problem. The city attorney added the litter fee may not be legal.